By Matthew Russell Lee, Follow Up on Exclusives
UNITED NATIONS, September 14 -- Outgoing Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on September 14 said, “I am saddened that soon I will no longer serve side-by-side with the dedicated staff of the United Nations.” If Ban actually means that, the feeling among staff is not necessarily mutual among UN staff, many of whom have complained to the Press about favoritism and nepotism during Ban's tenure.
In the shadow of Ban's brazen promotion of his own son in law to the top UN job in Kenya, without even purporting to recuse himself, Inner City Press earlier this month asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about two sample hirings in the Department of General Assembly and Conference Management. On one, half an answer was provided. On the other, after two weeks, nothing. This is Ban's UN.
On September 1, Inner City Press asked Dujarric:
Inner City Press understands that the DGACM position vacated yesterday is being filled by Ruth de Miranda, whom numerous UN staff tell Inner City Press is closely aligned with Catherine Pollard... In this light, and in connection with the UNanswered son in law questions, this is a formal request that you state pre-lid
1) if Ms. Pollard recused herself from the selection of Ms. de Miranda;
1) if Ms. Pollard recused herself from the selection of Ms. de Miranda;
2) if not, what roles Ms Pollard played, including in the design of the written test, being on the panel, etc
3) how this is acceptable and what rules apply.
Again, as to the SG's son in law, this is a formal request that you today (pre-lid) provide
a) the names and/or other identifiers of the members of the interagency advisory panel which you say selected the SG's son in law (to assess whether they can be considered independent of the SG) and the names of the other candidates (to assess whether the SG's son in law was arguably the most qualified)
or provide an explanation of WHY such information in this situation will not be disclosed.
About Ban's son in law Siddharth Chatterjee, Dujarric has stopped even pretending to respond. The response has come from Chatterjee's former military commander in Sri Lanka, Dalvir Singh, calling for Inner City Press to be“condemned in the strongest terms.” Very classy.
On de Miranda, Dujarric responded: “ Ruth de Miranda was selected to succeed Ion Botnaru. I think that your answer is correct. The vacancy was filled in full compliance with the staff selection polices of the organization.”
Inner City Press re-asked, “On USG Pollard's role in Ms. de Miranda's selection to the D2 post, you have not described her role nor confirmed or denied their close relation... This is a formal request you answer this today: the position USG Pollard gave to Sonia Elliott, please state if and why it was done as a “Temporary Vacancy” TVA and not as “Acting,” and USG Pollard's role in the process.”
This, like Inner City Press' request for information about Chatterjee's military activities in Sri Lanka, has done unanswered. There is another UN employment story brewing, about Security. Since Ban's spokespeople don't answer, it will simply appear. A fish rots from the head. Watch this site.
